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Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, attention South Jersey commuters.

Some hope the Pennsylvania Senate plans to fund the struggling transit agency SEPTA for the next two years, but it will be up to the House to seal the deal.

Plus, beach closures.

Seaside Heights officials are cracking down on after hours beach access after one man drowned from a deadly rip current.

Also, state scientists sound the alarm on tick-borne Lyme disease, which has been detected in all 21 counties here in the state.

Thick season is every season, so it never ends.

And a decade after the historic decision, the Supreme Court is being asked to overturn the landmark same-sex marriage ruling.

It's going to create a lot of legal mess if we don't have states all recognizing marriage equality across the country.

NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

♪♪ >> From NJ PBS Studios, this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Brianna Vannosi.

>> Good evening, and thanks for joining us on this Wednesday night.

I'm Raven Santana, in for Brianna Vannosi.

We begin with a few of today's top stories.

First, the fates of commuters who rely on SEPTA service between Trenton and Philadelphia are in the hands of Pennsylvania lawmakers.

Republicans in the state Senate last night passed a budget bill with two years of funding for the transit agency.

That bill now goes to the Pennsylvania House, which is led by Democrats who have criticized the GOP proposal.

The state's Democratic governor, Josh Shapiro, will have to decide on either signing or vetoing whatever budget bill is eventually passed.

SEPTA leadership has warned that Thursday is the agency's point of no return if funding is not secured by then.

Planned service cuts cannot be reversed.

For the two commuter lines serving Trenton and West Trenton, SEPTA plans to increase fares by $2 and dramatically reduce service at the start of September.

Then in January, the Trenton line would be suspended altogether, and the West Trenton line would cancel all trains after 9 p.m. Also tonight, Seaside Heights is cracking down on after-hours beach access following several days of a deadly rip current that took one life.

Mayor Anthony Vaas says the move is about protecting people after one man drowned and six others were rescued Monday night, hours after lifeguards were off duty.

Beaches typically close at 7 p.m., but now police will help clear out crowds, issue summonses, and make arrests if needed.

The borough will also closely monitor tides and storm conditions, closing earlier on dangerous days and even adding bilingual warning signs about swimming.

Monday's tragedy happened on a red flag day when swimmers were only allowed up to their knees in the water.

The death capped a weekend where crews along the shoreline made 12 rescues on unguarded beaches.

And for the second year running, too many New Jersey school bus companies have failed to prove their drivers meet the state's minimum standards before the start of the school year.

A recent review by the state comptroller found that in August 2023, nearly 300 bus companies across 21 counties had not submitted required documentation like criminal background checks and commercial driver's licenses to the Department of Education.

That's compared to 109 companies in 14 counties missing documentation by the end of August 2024, a small sign of improvement but still a major concern.

And with the school year fast approaching, safety advocates say more must be done, like moving up compliance deadlines, issuing automated alerts when documentation is missing, and tougher penalties for violators to protect students and ensure every bus driver is properly vetted in time to be on the road in September.

Cases of Lyme disease are now officially everywhere in New Jersey.

Health officials say the tick-borne illness has been detected in all 21 counties, with nearly 3,900 cases reported so far this year.

The highest numbers are coming from Hunterdon, Morris, and Sussex counties, as well as a few cases in Monmouth and Ocean.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan explains why scientists are pointing to a warming climate as a reason for the prevalence of this disease.

Tick season is every season, so it never ends.

And Rutgers scientist Dina Fonseca reports the black-legged deer ticks that spread Lyme disease are flourishing in New Jersey.

She heads a lab project called Ticks for Science.

It collects and tests dead ticks mailed in by their victims, the Jersey residents they've bitten.

So we're seeing about 25% of the nymphs are infected with Lyme bacteria.

50% of the adults are infected with Lyme bacteria.

We are very aware of the presence of ticks and how likely it is that you can get Lyme disease by a tiny little bite.

Out in the field, literally, entomologists can simply sweep a white baby blanket over bushes in Bergen County and find black-legged ticks.

In spring, it's teeny nymphs about the size of Lincoln's bowtie on a penny that bite and transmit Lyme bacteria.

And cases keep climbing.

So far, Jersey's Department of Health has logged more than 3,800 positive Lyme cases in all 21 counties.

Whereas last year it was actually below normal, this year it's normal, maybe normal to slightly above normal this year in terms of Lyme.

So yeah, ticks have been pretty active this year.

Right now, Huntington County tops New Jersey's Lyme hotspots, which also include Morris, Sussex, Monmouth and Ocean.

Come mid-September, the newly adult black-legged deer ticks start biting.

And with a warming climate, they bite for months.

Deer ticks, so long as the temperature is in the upper 40s or 50s, they'll come out.

So they'll actually come out in the wintertime.

If you have a warm week in February, it happens.

So you have to establish a new baseline.

I would say the new baseline for New Jersey is probably in the range of 5,000 to 6,000 cases.

Dr. Richard Porwanser is a Lyme disease specialist.

He says people bitten by infected deer ticks can get treated with a common antibiotic, doxycycline, within 72 hours of removing the tick.

But he's also been working with Pfizer to develop a Lyme vaccine that's currently in stage 3 double-blind trials.

Some preliminary studies that have been released show that it produces a good antibody response and that it appears to be safe.

However, we don't know how effective it is.

He says Lyme bacteria can attack the brain, nervous system and heart with devastating results.

It's only transmitted by deer ticks, but they can also carry four other pathogens.

And studies show different tick species are moving into New Jersey, like the aggressive Gulf Coast tick, usually found in southern states.

It transmits a type of spotted fever.

Up to 40 percent of ticks or more can be infected.

So we are especially concerned about this Gulf Coast tick.

An infected female passes on the bacteria to the eggs and then the larvae hatch already infected.

Gulf Coast ticks can transmit disease in less than an hour, but it takes black-legged deer ticks longer, more than a full day.

Experts advise folks out walking in the woods to take precautions, wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts sprayed with tick repellent, and to check for ticks when they get home.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

It's been a decade since the Supreme Court's landmark decision legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

But now that ruling is once again in the crosshairs.

This fall, the justices are expected to consider a case that specifically asked them to overturn it, brought by former Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who famously refused to issue marriage licenses to a gay couple back in 2015.

Garden State Equalities Executive Director Christian Fuscarino joins me to discuss the impact this ruling could have on the LGBTQ+ community.

Christian, thanks for joining me.

Thank you so much for having me on.

For our viewers, give us the backstory on this case brought by the former clerk in Kentucky.

Well, this is what we're seeing at a time when the LGBTQ community is under constant attack.

And they're going against the very fundamental rights and freedoms of LGBTQ people in this country by going after marriage equality, something that so many families across the country and in our state know has existed.

We have family members that are married.

It's been a nonissue.

And here we are in 2025 still debating marriage equality because of Kim Davis, who would only claim to fame as being a discriminatory bigot who comes out and stands against people that show up at the clerk's office to file their paperwork to get married.

Christian, and if the Supreme Court were to side with this clerk and overturn same-sex marriage, what would that mean for the LGBTQ community here in the state and really across the country?

Here in New Jersey, same-sex couples who are married are going to remain legally protected under state law, thanks to the Murphy administration.

We actually codified marriage equality here in New Jersey in January of the past year.

And that was so important for this moment.

And here in New Jersey, we saw this could potentially come down the pipe in the future.

And we said we need to make sure that it's not just through the courts, that we have it codified into law.

And so while it is disheartening to hear that federal marriage equality might be going away, here in New Jersey, residents are going to remain protected.

Now, that doesn't mean that LGBTQ couples and those who love and care for LGBTQ people shouldn't be outraged by this moment.

We all should.

This is a basic human right that is being attempted to be stripped away in our nation.

It's a really sad moment.

Well, we know that's the deal here in New Jersey.

But what about across the country, Christian?

So if we lose federal marriage equality, we're going to go back to a patchwork of equality like we saw before we had the federal right to marry.

And that's where, depending on what state you're in, you may be able to get married.

If you're a same-sex couple, you may not be able to.

And what we know is that it just simply doesn't work.

It means if you are married in one state and you decide to move to another, your marriage might not be recognized in that state.

It means if you're traveling with your spouse and you both are presenting any type of marriage certificate, it might not be valid there.

And we know through the full faith and credit clause that it's important for other states to recognize the rights that exist in states that those residents are traveling from.

And so what we know to work is that when we think about something like marriage equality, which is such a basic human right and principle for two loving, consensual adults to be able to marry one another, we know that this works and that it's going to create a lot of legal mess if we don't have states all recognizing marriage equality across the country.

And Christian, beyond the marriage rights, what other protections could be at risk if this were overturned?

Well, honestly, I think of this as a huge distraction from the issues that are really impacting the LGBTQ community right now, like transgender health care, basic health care and human dignity in treatment.

And so what we're seeing is the introduction of the attempt to strip away marriage equality.

But for most of us who have been involved in politics, we can't even imagine debating the right to marry in 2025.

I think it's more of a distraction from the real impact that our community is facing, where the basic rights of LGBTQ students are at risk at local school board elections, where hospital systems are being challenged by the federal government on providing gender affirming care.

And that's really where I want New Jersey residents to stay focused on, is making sure that basic human rights and health care remain a priority here in New Jersey, because we have marriage equality and we're going to hold that line nationally as we see this challenged.

And Christian, how is Garden State Equality preparing the community here for this?

And what steps are you taking leading up to the expected arguments?

Well, I'm about to be in this role for 10 years.

The organization just celebrated its 20th anniversary.

If there's one thing Garden State Equality has, it's muscle memory around fighting for marriage equality.

Love is love.

And this has really been the foundation for how we've been able to advocate for New Jersey residents.

But over the last 10 years, we've really focused on prioritizing queer and trans residents and their legal rights and their daily lived experiences.

And I really want to stay focused on that here in New Jersey.

We will hold the line nationally on the issue of marriage equality and lift up the stories of same-sex couples who have been in loving relationships for decades.

But no matter what happens federally, New Jersey residents and their marriage is going to be protected because of organizations like Garden State Equality and so many other organizations and individuals across the state that had fought for marriage equality back in 2013 prior and up into the recent codification of it in the last year under the Murphy administration.

All right.

We'll have to wait and see what happens.

Christian, thanks for joining me.

Thanks for having me.

In our spotlight on business report tonight, a major clean energy setback for New Jersey after the EPA suddenly killed a seven billion dollar solar program for low income families.

The state was set to get one hundred and fifty six million dollars out of that seven billion for new solar projects.

Critics call it illegal and a blow to already rising energy bills.

Correspondent Ted Goldberg has more on what this means for New Jersey ratepayers.

You're basically stealing money from individual households and businesses that would have been benefited from this program by bringing their energy costs down.

After the EPA canceled a seven billion dollar grant to promote new solar panels, Democrats are accusing the Trump administration of breaking the law.

Congressman Frank Pallone says funds that have been legally obligated cannot be canceled by new legislation.

The bill says you can't affect funds that have already obligated.

It's like a contract.

You can't break a contract.

It's totally illegal for the EPA administrator to now say that I'm going to claw back these funds.

Part of the one big beautiful bill repealed the greenhouse gas reduction fund, which gave New Jersey one hundred and fifty six million dollars for its solar for all project.

Administrator Lee Zeldin made the announcement last week saying the cut would save money.

EPA no longer has the authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive.

EPA is taking action to end this program for good.

We are committed to the rule of law and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars.

Zeldin claimed that the move would save American taxpayers seven billion dollars, the full cost of the program.

But Pallone says most of that money has been legally obligated, meaning it cannot be clawed back by the federal government.

The Republicans voted for specifically said if the money has been obligated and go into our constituents, we don't want to claw it back.

And to say, oh, well, the bill eliminated the administrative costs, so therefore we can't run the program and we have to take the money back.

I mean, that's just it's just outrageous.

It's just nonsense.

Solar for all would have helped about 22000 households in New Jersey put solar panels on their rooftops, saving money at a time when electric bills are jumping.

Solar would help people right now this year if they elected to do it.

And this program would have helped so many people in New Jersey.

It's unbelievable.

Governor Phil Murphy criticized the EPA, saying at a time when Americans are struggling with skyrocketing energy costs, the solar for all program would have helped lower costs for working families up and down the Garden State in towns represented by both Democrats and Republicans.

Americans deserve better.

And the Trump administration must reconsider this about face.

Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak sponsored a bill that would simplify the permit process for getting solar panels and wants the state to get creative to bring more power on the grid.

All of the flat roofs that we have in New Jersey, the millions of millions of square feet, we should be utilizing this.

I hate mandating anything, but this I would mandate you want to build a million square foot warehouse.

I want to see 800000 square feet of solar on that, and I want to tie it into the grid.

There are lots of places solar can be built on our highways, on our sound barriers and our medians and government properties, rooftops, warehouses, big box stores.

Ed Ptasnik leads the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, which also condemned the EPA canceling this grant.

The Trump administration has really embraced a drill baby drill philosophy that is going to cost families more.

This program alone would have saved four hundred dollars a year per household.

Solar energy right now is the cheapest form of energy that you can generate.

It creates good local jobs in New Jersey that can't be outsourced.

It cleans up our air, which helps prevent asthma, cancer and heart disease.

New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities said as part of a statement, the termination of the solar for all program will have a significant impact on all New Jerseyans, including low income households and communities.

Trump's decision undermines the state's efforts to expand solar energy access and create jobs in the clean energy sector.

The next step for New Jersey could be to sue the EPA to try and unfreeze that money.

If you were buying a house and you had a mortgage and it was all ready and you were ready to sign, you sign those documents and a mortgage company says, oh, by the way, Ted, we're not going to give you the money.

Now, what do you think the seller is going to do to you?

It'll probably be a combined effort nationally, so it probably won't cost the state that much because they'll be joining a bunch of other states.

And I'm sure red states as well, saying that this money has been contracted and you've got to send you've got to pay it.

That could be for a judge to decide in the future.

For NJ Spotlight News, I'm Ted Goldberg.

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Halsey, a neighborhood built on hustle and heart.

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In Patterson, it's no laughing matter, but some say it can only happen in Jersey.

Three sitting city council members now face separate criminal charges and all three are eyeing a run for mayor.

The latest is Louis Velaz arrested this week for allegedly setting off a false alarm at City Hall.

Add that to pending election fraud cases against Michael Jackson and Alex Mendez and you've got a city council where nearly a quarter of its members are under potential prosecution, but feel they are qualified to run the city in 2026.

To discuss more, I'm joined by Joe Malinconico, reporter for The Patterson Press.

Joe, thanks for joining me.

I'm happy to be here.

Thank you for having me.

All right.

Three sitting council members facing criminal charges.

What does this say about the state of the government in Patterson?

Well, it's kind of an outgrowth of the chaos and disruption in the government that many people have seen for the last several years.

I mean, you know, not long ago, Patterson had a city council meeting that went on for eight hours and ended after 4 a.m. in the morning.

And that's sort of a metaphor.

And these charges against three of the nine members are almost a metaphor for the problems that the city hall has.

You know, despite all of this craziness, how are residents reacting to the fact that nearly a quarter of their city council is under prosecution?

Well, there are people who are fiercely loyal to each one of the accused council members.

And they've, you know, two of the council members have gotten reelected multiple times while charges are pending against them.

You know, and so, you know, each and it's kind of interesting in this situation because all three of these council members are adversarial towards each other.

There's no alliance among the three of them.

And, you know, one one council members allies would quickly condemn and brand as criminals the other two.

You know, the most recent arrest involves a false alarm at city hall.

How serious is that charge?

Well, it's a third degree charge.

And, you know, prosecutors always include in their press releases a line about the the maximum sentence, which is in this case would be a five year would be five years.

If there were a conviction and we're a long, long, long way from that, I don't think anybody expects this to result in anything close to a five year sentence, if at all, if any jail time at all.

Then the two other council members face election fraud charges.

How do these cases compare and what's their current legal status?

Well, and these cases will almost become a sad joke in and of themselves.

They both were the original charges were filed in 2020 during amidst the the covid pandemic when all of New Jersey's elections that may or the municipal elections were done in vote by mail.

The Jackson case has some of the witnesses in that case have already recanted the original charges.

And now it's evolved into a witness tampering investigation by the attorney general's office.

You know, the allegation or the thrust of that being whether or not Jackson tampered with witnesses who then recanted their testimony.

Meanwhile, the Mendez case, you know, about 18 months or so ago, there was a superseding indictment filed in which there were startling allegations of, you know, full scale ballot stealing, ballot tampering, etc.

So we have all of this going on, yet all three members have expressed interest in running for mayor in 2026.

Should criminal charges disqualify someone from seeking higher office?

Well, criminal charges are only charges.

And in one of the bedrocks of American democracy and American system of justice is we're all in this and until proven guilty.

So, you know, it's not for me to opine on.

But, you know, that's the basis.

And, you know, two of these two of these individuals have already run for actually two of these individuals already run for mayor and lost while facing election for charges.

We'll answer this, Joe, that, you know, real quick, what steps can Patterson take to restore credibility and confidence in its counsel?

You know, we have these things called elections and and and, you know, some some people would argue that that, you know, the election, the electoral system is the step towards restoration of confidence.

And clearly a lot of people have confidence in Mendez and Jackson because they reelected them despite the charges.

And maybe they don't have faith in the charges or the faith in the state authorities.

Oh, Joe, thanks for joining me.

My pleasure.

Be well.

That's going to do it for us tonight.

But a reminder, you can download our podcast wherever you listen and watch us any time by subscribing to the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

Plus, you can follow us on Instagram and Blue Sky to stay up to date on all the state's big headlines.

I'm Raven Santana for the entire team at NJ Spotlight News.

Thanks for being with us.

Have a great evening and we'll see you right back here tomorrow.

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